Apparatus and associated method, by which to facilitate scheduling of data communications ina radio communications system

ABSTRACT

Apparatus, and associated method, for facilitating reverse link scheduling in a CDMA 2000 communication system (FIG.  1, 10 ) that provides for high data rate communication services, such as 1xEV-DV communication services. Power control bits (FIG.  1, 46 ) used to perform power control on the reverse link are punctured with rate grant control bits and HARQ indications. A power control bit puncturer (FIG.  1, 48 ) punctures the power control bits with the rate grant control bits and HARQ indications. Physical layer signaling is thereby provided without the need to define additional control channels operations.

[0001] The present invention relates generally to a manner by which tofacilitate the scheduling of data communications in a radiocommunications system, such as a CDMA 2000 communication system thatprovides for 1xEV-DV data communications. More particularly, the presentinvention relates to an apparatus, and an associated method, by which toprovide, as physical layer signaling, rate selection commands and HARQindications to a mobile, or other, communication station operable in theradio communication system.

[0002] Power control commands, sent on an existing channel, arepunctured with the rate selection commands and HARQ indications. Becausethe signaling is carried out at the physical layer, the commands andindications are provided quickly. Backward compatibility with priorgeneration devices is also maintained.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Use of a communication system through which to communicate datais a practical necessity of modern society. Data is communicatedpursuant to the effectuation of many varied types of communicationservices. And, with continued advancements in communicationtechnologies, additional types of communication services, making use ofthe advancements in communication technologies, are possible.

[0004] A communication system includes at least a first communicationstation and a second communication station interconnected by way of acommunication channel. Data is communicated by the first communicationstation, referred to as a sending station, to the second communicationstation, referred to as a receiving station, by way of the communicationchannel. Data that is to be communicated by the sending station isconverted, if needed, into a form to permit the data to be communicatedupon the communication channel. And, the receiving station detects thedata communicated upon the communication channel and recovers theinformational content thereof.

[0005] A radio communication system is a type of communication system.In a radio communication system, a radio channel, defined upon a radioair interface, forms the communication channel interconnecting thesending and receiving stations. Conventional wireline communicationsystems, in contrast, require the use of fixed, wireline connectionsextending between the communications stations upon which to define thecommunication channel.

[0006] A radio communication system provides various advantages incontrast to a wireline counterpart. Initial installation and deploymentcosts associated with a radio communication system are generally lessthan the costs required to install and deploy a corresponding wirelinecommunication system. And, a radio communication system can beimplemented as a mobile communication system in which one or more of thecommunication stations operable therein is permitted mobility.

[0007] A cellular communication system is an exemplary type of mobileradio communication system. Cellular communication systems have beeninstalled throughout significant portion of the populated areas of theworld and have achieved wide levels of usage. A cellular radiocommunication system is a multi-user communication system in which radiocommunications are provided with a plurality of mobile stations.Telephonic communication of voice and data is effectuable by way of themobile stations. Mobile stations are sometimes of sizes to permit theirconvenient carriage by users of the mobile stations.

[0008] A cellular radio communication system includes networkinfrastructure that is installed throughout the geographical area thatis encompassed by the communication system. Mobile stations operable inthe cellular communication system communicate, by way of radio channels,with base stations that form parts of the network infrastructure of thecommunication system.

[0009] Base stations are a fixed-site radio transceiver that transceivesdata with the mobile stations. The base stations are installed atspaced-apart locations throughout the geographical area encompassed bythe communication system. Each of the base stations defines a cell,formed of a portion of the geographical area. A cellular communicationsystem is so-called because of the cells that together define thecoverage area of the communication system.

[0010] When a mobile station is positioned within a cell defined by abase station, communications are generally effectuable with the basestation that defines the cell. Due to the inherit mobility of a mobilestation, the mobile station might travel between cells defined bydifferent ones of the base stations. Continued communications with themobile station is provided through communication hand off proceduresbetween successive ones of the base stations defining the successiveones of the cells through which the mobile station passes. Throughappropriate positioning of the base stations, the mobile station,wherever positioned within the area encompassed by the communicationsystem, shall be within communication proximity of at least one basestation.

[0011] Only relatively low-powered signals need to be generated toeffectuate communications between a mobile station and a base stationwhen the base stations are suitably positioned at selected spaced-apartlocations. Hand-offs of communications between the successive basestations permit continued communications without necessitating increasesin the power levels at which the communication signals are transmitted.And, because the signals that are generated are all generally of lowpowered levels, the same radio channels can be reused at differentlocations of the cellular communication system. The frequency spectrumallocated to a cellular communication system is thereby efficientlyutilized.

[0012] A cellular communication system is constructed, generally, to beoperable pursuant to an operating specification of a particularcommunication standard. Successive generations of communicationstandards have been developed, and operating specifications definingtheir operational parameters have been promulgated. First-generation andsecond-generation cellular communication systems have been deployed andhave achieved significant levels of usage. Third-generation andsuccessor-generation systems are undergoing development,standardization, and, at least with respect to the third-generationsystems, partial deployment.

[0013] An exemplary third-generation cellular communication system is asystem that operates pursuant to the operating protocol set forth in aCDMA 2000 operating specification. A CDMA 2000 cellular communicationsystem, constructed in conformity with the CDMA 2000 operatingspecification, provides for packet-based data communication services.

[0014] Various technology proposals by which to effectuate communicationof packet data at high data rates in a CDMA 2000 communication systemhave been proposed. By transmitting data at high data rates, increasedamounts of data are able to be communicated in a given time period.

[0015] The 1xEV-DV data communication service is one such proposal. The1xEV-DV data service utilizes a HARQ (Hybrid-ARQ)acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) feedback scheme. A1xEV-DV communication service is also available at multiple data rates.That is to say, the data rates at which the data is communicated areselectable.

[0016] Control provisions by which to control the data rate of uplinkdata, i.e., data communicated by a mobile station to the networkinfrastructure of a CDMA 2000 communication system, are not set forth inthe operating specification. That is to say, generally, there is noprovision for controlling the data rate, and HARQ operations, tofacilitate scheduling of data communications on the uplink.

[0017] A mechanism by which to facilitate uplink scheduling of datacommunicated pursuant to a 1xEV-DV communication service is needed.

[0018] It is in light of this background information related to packetdata communication services that the significant improvements of thepresent invention have evolved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The present invention, accordingly, advantageously providesapparatus, and an associated method, by which to facilitate schedulingof data communications in a radio communication system, such as a radiocommunication system operable pursuant to a CDMA 2000 communicationscheme that provides for 1xEV-DV data communications.

[0020] Through operation of an embodiment of the present invention, amanner is provided by which to provide, as physical layers signaling,rate selection commands and HARQ (Hybrid-ARQ) indications to a mobile,or other communication, station operable in the radio communicationsystem.

[0021] In one aspect of the present invention, power control commands,sent on an existing channel, are punctured with rate selection commandsand HARQ indications. Because the signaling is carried out at a logicallayer forming the physical layer of the communication system, thecommands and indications are provided quickly. Backward compatibilitywith prior generation devices is maintained, thereby to permit continuedoperation of communication stations, otherwise operable in the CDMA 2000communication system, but that do not provide for 1xEV-DV communicationservices.

[0022] A channel structure is defined pursuant to an embodiment of thepresent invention that facilitates data rate and hybrid ARQ control on adata uplink, i.e., the reverse link channels, upon which data iscommunicated by a mobile station to the network infrastructure. Powercontrol bits conventionally communicated upon, e.g., a Common PowerControl Channel (CPCCH), a Fundamental Channel (FCH), or a DedicatedControl Channel (DCCH) are punctured with ACK/NAK bits and RGC (RateGrant Control) bits.

[0023] Rate requests are generated at mobile stations that are tocommunicate, or are communicating, 1xEV-DV data upon reverse linkchannels. Rate requests are communicated to the network infrastructureof the communication system. Data scheduling operations are performed atthe network infrastructure. Amongst the data scheduling operationperformed that the network infrastructure are rate grant selectionsgranting, or denying, the rate requests generated by the individual onesof the mobile stations. And, thereafter, the rate grants, or ratedenials, are used in the formation of rate grant control bits. Rategrant control bits are of first values to indicate a rate grant of therate requests and of second values to indicate rate denial of the raterequests. And, the power control bits, otherwise generated to controlthe power levels of which the data communicated by the mobile stations,or punctured with the rate grant control bits.

[0024] Further pursuant to operation of an embodiment of the presentinvention, the mobile stations generate the rate requests that request,alternately, data rate increases and data rate decreases. The raterequests formed by the mobile station are selected responsive to, forinstance, the operational data rate permitted of the mobile station, theamount of data that is to be communicated, and the reserve poweravailable at the mobile station. In one implementation, a single measureis formed, in the form of a single bit, indicative of a relativepersistence of the data that is to be communicated by, or is beingcommunicated by, the mobile station.

[0025] In another aspect of the present invention, the mobile stationssend data packets or frames during a communication session to effectuatea communication service. When delivered to the network infrastructure, adetermination is made whether the data packet or frame has beenadequately delivered. And, an ACK or NAK bit is returned to the mobilestation to indicate whether the data packet has been successfullydelivered to the network infrastructure. Further pursuant to operationof embodiment of the present invention, the power control bits arepunctured with values of the ACK and NAK bits. The mobile stationmonitors channels upon which the power control bits are transmitted, andthe mobile station, pursuant to such monitoring, detects the values ofthe HARQ feedback, formed of the ACK or NAK bits. Responsive to thevalue of the HARQ feedback, the mobile station selectively retransmitsthe data packet or frame.

[0026] The power control bits, and the rate grant control bits and HARQfeedback bits are communicated at the physical layer, thereby providingquick control of the data communicated by the mobile station on thereverse link pursuant to the 1xEV-DV communication service. Backwardcompatibility with mobile stations that do not operate pursuant to1xEV-DV communications is also provided as the values of the rate grantcontrol bits and HARQ feedback bits are otherwise considered to be powercontrol bits.

[0027] In these another aspects, therefore, apparatus, and an associatedmethod, is provided for a radio communication system. The radiocommunication system has a first communication station operable at leastto send power control commands upon at least a power control channel toat least a second communication station. The power control command isused at the second communication station to control an operationalparameter associated with a power level at which data subsequently to becommunicated therefrom is sent. Control of selected operation of thesecond communication station is facilitated. A power control commandpuncturer is adapted to receive indications of an other-than-powercontrol command. The power control command puncturer punctures the powercontrol commands broadcast upon the at least the power control subchannel with the other-than-power-control command.

[0028] A more complete appreciation of the present invention and thescope thereof can be obtained from the accompanying drawings, which arebriefly summarized below, the following detailed description of thepresently-preferred embodiments of the invention, and the appendedclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029]FIG. 1 illustrates a functional block diagram of a radiocommunication system in which an embodiment of the present invention isoperable.

[0030]FIG. 2 illustrates a representation of an exemplary sub channel ofa power control channel defined in the radio communication system shownin FIG. 1 and power control bits that are generated during operation ofthe radio communication system.

[0031]FIG. 3 illustrates a functional block diagram of a portion of abase station that forms a portion of the radio communication systemshown in FIG. 1.

[0032]FIG. 4 illustrates a graphical representation of manners by whichvalues of rate request bits are formed during operation of a radiocommunication system of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

[0033]FIG. 5 illustrates a representation, similar to that shown in FIG.2, but here in which rate grant control bits and ACK/NAK bits aresubstituted for selected ones of the power control bits.

DETAILED OF THE DESCRIPTION

[0034] Referring first to FIG. 1, a radio communication system, showngenerally at 10, forms a multi-user radio communications systempermitting of radio communication with mobile stations. In the figure,two exemplary mobile stations 12 are represented. In the exemplary ofimplementation, the communication system forms a cellular communicationsystem that operates, generally, in conformity with the operatingprotocols promulgated in the CDMA 2000 communication system thatprovides for 1xEV-DV data communications.

[0035] Embodiments of the present invention are, however, alsoimplementable in other types of communication systems in which datacommunication services are effectuable at selectable data rates and incommunication systems that utilize an HARQ feedback scheme. Accordingly,while the following description shall describe exemplary operation of anembodiment of the present invention with respect to its implementationin a CDMA 2000 communication system that provides for 1xEV-DV datacommunication services, the present invention is analogously alsooperable in other types of communication systems.

[0036] Two-way communications are effectuated during operation of thecommunication system 10. A radio air interface formed between a networkinfrastructure and the mobile stations defines forward link (ordownlink) and reverse link (or uplink) channels upon which data iscommunicated to the mobile station and the data is communicated by themobile stations. The arrows 14 are representative of forward linkchannels, and the arrows 16 are representative of reverse link channels.Both the forward link channels and the reverse link channels includeboth data channels and control channels. Communication data iscommunicated upon the data channel, and control data is communicatedupon the data channels.

[0037] Various data channels are defined in the CDMA 2000/1xEV-DVoperating specification. Power control channels are amongst the controlchannels that are defined in the operating specification. Power controlbits are communicated upon the power control channels and are used tocontrol the power levels at which communication data is communicatedupon the data channels. On the forward link, for instance, a commonpower control channel (CPCCH), a dedicated control channel (DCCH), and afundamental channel (FCH) are all defined in the CDMA 2000 operatingspecification. Details relating to the channels as well as the control,or other, data communicated thereon is available in the operatingspecification relating to CDMA 2000/1xEV-DV. One, or more, of thesechannels is used during operation of an embodiment of the presentinvention to communicate control data to the mobile station tofacilitate control of rates at which 1xEV-DV data is communicated upon areverse link channel by the mobile station to the networkinfrastructure. And, also pursuant to operation of an embodiment of thepresent invention, HARQ feedback bits are provided to the mobile stationto identify whether a previously transmitted data packet upon a reverselink channel has been successfully delivered to the networkinfrastructure.

[0038] The network infrastructure of the communication system is hereshown to include a base station 18. The base station includes radiotransceiver circuitry that operates pursuant to a code divisionmultiplexing scheme to communicate with mobile stations, such as the twomobile stations illustrated in the Figure. Forward link signals aregenerated upon forward links 14 for communication to the mobilestations, and reverse link signals, here generated pursuant to a codedivision multiple access (CDMA) communications scheme are communicatedto the base station upon reverse link channels, to be received byreceive circuitry of the base station. The base station forms a portionof a radio access network part of the network infrastructure. The radioaccess network part also includes a Base Station Controller (BSC) 22 towhich the base station 18 is coupled. The base station controlleroperates, amongst other things, to control operation of the basestation. The radio access network part of the network infrastructure iscoupled to a Packet Data Network (PDN) 28, here by way of a gateway(gwy) 30. A Correspondent Node (CN) 32 is coupled to the packet datanetwork. A correspondent node is representative of a communication nodethat forms an ultimate source or ultimate destination of datacommunicated with a mobile station 12. The correspondent node forms, forinstance, a telephonic station or, for instance, a content server.

[0039] Scheduling operations are performed at the radio access networkto schedule communications between the network infrastructure and themobile station. Scheduling on the reverse link, performed at the radioaccess network portion of the infrastructure, is communicated to themobile stations, and the reverse link that is communicated by theindividual ones of the mobile station according to the schedulingprovided thereto by the network infrastructure. Power control of thepower levels of the reverse link data is also controlled at the networkinfrastructure portion of the radio access network.

[0040] A scheduler 44 is also shown in the Figure. The scheduler isembodied at the radio access network portion of the networkinfrastructure, implemented, for instance, at the base station or basestation controller. The elements of the scheduler are functionallyrepresented and are implementable in any desired manner and at anydesired location. The scheduler schedules the reverse link datacommunications of the mobile stations 12, here also to include variousparameters by which the reverse link data communications areeffectuated. And, here, also, the scheduler performs the scheduling ofthe 1xEV-DV data communications.

[0041] The scheduler includes a power control command generator thatoperates in conventional manner by which to generate power control bitsthat are sent upon forward link channels to control the power levels atwhich the reverse link data is communicated. The scheduler alsoincludes, pursuant to an embodiment of the present invention, a powercontrol command puncturer 48. The power control command punctureroperates to puncture the power control bits generated by the powercontrol bit generator with rate grant control bits and HARQ indications.Values of the rate grant control bits are here represented to be appliedto the puncturer by way of the line 52. And, the HARQ indications arehere represented to be applied to the puncturer by way of the line 54.Values of the rate grant control bits and of the HARQ indications aredetermined elsewhere at the scheduler or elsewhere within theinfrastructure part of the communication system. Determination of therate grants are dependent, at least in part, upon informationcommunicated to the network infrastructure by individual ones of themobile stations.

[0042] Various factors that affect scheduling are dynamic, i.e.,changeable. Others are static. The scheduler schedules thecommunications on the reverse link channels in a manner best to allocatewhat, and how much, information is to be communicated upon the reverselink channels. The power control bits, and the punctured bits insertedtherein by the puncturer are formed at the physical layer of thecommunication system, thereby to facilitate the speed at which thecommands are communicated and the control is effectuated upon thereverse link communications. Because the rate grant control bits andHARQ indications are substituted for values of the power control bits,the operation of the scheduler is compatible both with mobile stationsthat are 1xEV-DV capable as well as with mobile stations that are not1xEV-DV capable. Rate grant control bits and HARQ indications areprovided to the mobile stations that are 1xEV-DV capable without theneed to define an additional channel structure. Puncturing is performedby the puncturer upon power control bits generated upon any of theaforementioned channels, i.e., the CPCCH, the FCH, or the DCCH.

[0043]FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary forward link channel 14 upon whichpower control bits are generated. The power control bits 62 aregenerated at a 800 Hz rate. These rates correspond to generation of onepower control bit 62 during each 1.25 ms slot 64. When the channel 14forms an FCH or a DCCH, there is only one power control sub channelavailable to control a mobile station while, when the channel 14 forms aCPCCH, typically there are 24 power control sub channels thereon,permitting simultaneous control of up to 24 mobile stations.

[0044] Referring back again to FIG. 1, the mobile stations 12 alsoinclude apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention, hereforming a rate requestor 66. The rate requester generates requests thatare communicated to the network infrastructure of the communicationsystem and, responsive to which, the rate grant commands are made.Puncturing of the power control bits with the rate grant control bits isalso advantageous for the reason that data rate control is analogous to,and can be considered another form of, power control. The rate requestformed by the rate requester requests, in the exemplary implementation,through the generation of a single-bit a value, a rate increase or arate decrease. The rate requester generates the rate request responsive,for instance, to indications of the amount of data that is to becommunicated by the mobile station, the reserve power available at themobile station, and the operational data rate available at the mobilestation. Indications of such values are provided to the rate requester,here indicated by way of the lines 72, 74, and 76. A single measureformed by the rate requestor indicates the relative persistence of thedata communicated by, or to be communicated by, the mobile station,always a function of the data rate used by the mobile station. Thepersistence is denoted herein as buffer activity.

[0045]FIG. 3 illustrates a graphical representation, shown generally at82, of an exemplary threshold selection performed by the rate requestorwhen selecting whether to request a rate increase or a rate decrease.The plot 84 is a plot of the transmitter buffer activity, plotted as afunction of time. Variables, such as those just-mentioned and providedto the rate requester on the line 72, 74, and 76, are used to determinethe transmit buffer activity as the function of time. Here, the activityfunction is assumed to be unimodal. In one implementation, for theactivity status, determinations are made at the network infrastructureof the relative length of the overall data transmission assuming thatthe mobile station reports a metric, such as the buffer activity factoror rate requests. The rate requestor here generates the single bit rateincrease request or rate decrease request depending upon whether theplot point at a given time is to the left of, or to the right of, theline 86. Data rate is alterable, for instance, by altering themodulation or coding scheme. The following table indicates variousexemplary modulation and coding schemes that are incrementable pursuantoperation of various embodiment of the present invention. Bits/ DataRate Frame (Kbps) R Factor Deletion Symbols Modulation 168 9.6 ¼ 2x 01536 BPSK 360 19.2 ¼ 1x 0 1536 BPSK 744 38.4 ¼ 1x 0 3072 BPSK 1512 76.8¼ 1x 0 6144 BPSK 3048 153.6 ¼ 1x 0 12288 BPSK 6120 307.2 ¼ 1x 0 24576QPSK 12264 614.4 ½ 1x 0 24576 QPSK 18408 921.6 ¾ 1x 0 24576 QPSK 276241382.4 ¾ 1x 0 36864 8PSK

[0046]FIG. 4 illustrates a functional representation of operation of aportion of the scheduler together with portions of the transmitcircuitry of the base station. Data that is to be communicated upon apower control channel is formed on the line 82. At the element 84, aframe quality indicator is added. Then, at the element 86, eightreserved encoder tail bits are added. Thereafter, and as indicated bythe element 88, viterbi is performed. And, thereafter, at the element92, symbol repetition is performed. And, as illustrated at the element94, symbol puncturing by the puncturer 48 is performed. Interleavingthereafter is performed, as indicated by the element 96.

[0047] The power control sub channels upon which power control bits,together with the rate grant control bits and HARQ indication bits, inthe exemplary implementation, use encoding. Typical power control biterror rates are, for instance, 0.04. Improved performance is possiblethrough simple repetition of communication of the data bits.

[0048]FIG. 5 illustrates a representation, similar to that shown in FIG.2, but here showing the bits generated upon one of the aforementionedpower control channels, here illustrating the bits generated thereonpursuant to operation of the puncturer of an embodiment of the presentinvention. Pursuant to the puncturing operations, rate grant controlbits 98 and AcknowledgeNegative Acknowledge (ACK/NACK) bits 102 aresubstituted for power control bits at selected intervals. Here, two rategrant control bits and two A/N bits are substituted for power controlbits within a 20 ms. Uplink scheduling is thereby provided through thegeneration of the bits on the physical layer channel. Channels that arecurrently defined are used, thereby obviating the need to defineadditional control channels. And, the scheme is backwardly compatible topermit continued operation of existing devices.

[0049] The preferred descriptions are of preferred examples forimplementing the invention, and the scope of the invention should notnecessarily be limited by this description. The scope of the presentinvention is defined by the following claims.

We claimed:
 1. In a radio communication system having a firstcommunication station operable at least to send power control commandsupon at least a power control channel to at least a second communicationstation, the power control commands used at the second communicationstation to control an operational parameter associated with a powerlevel at which data subsequently to be communicated therefrom is sent,an improvement of apparatus for facilitating control of selectedoperation of the second communication station, said apparatuscomprising: a power control command puncturer adapted to receiveindications of an other-than-power control command, said power controlcommand puncturer for puncturing the power control commands sent uponthe at least the power control subchannel with theother-than-power-control command.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinthe power control channel comprises a Common Power Control Channel(CPCCH) defined in a cellular CDMA 2000 communication system thatprovides for 1xEV-DV communication, and wherein the power controlcommands punctured by said power control command puncturer are sent uponthe Common Power Control Channel.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 whereinthe at least the second communication station comprises the secondcommunication station and at least a third communication station,wherein the power control commands sent by the first communicationstation are sent upon a first part of the Common Power Control Channelto the second communication station and upon a third part of the CommonPower Control Channel to the third communication station.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the power control channel comprises aFundamental Channel (FCH) defined in a cellular CDMA 2000 communicationsystem that provides for 1xEV-DV communication, and wherein the powercontrol commands punctured by said power control command puncturer aresent upon the Fundamental Channel.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 whereinthe power control channel comprises a Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH)defined in a cellular CDMA 2000 communication system that provides for1xEV-DV communication, and wherein the power control commands puncturedby said power control command puncturer are sent upon the DedicatedControl Channel.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the firstcommunication station is defined in terms of logical layers, the logicallayers including a physical layer, and wherein said power controlcommand puncturer is embodied at the physical layer.
 7. The apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein the radio communication system utilizes an HARQ (HybridAutomatic RQ) feedback scheme to acknowledge whether receive-data issuccessfully received, wherein the selected operation of the secondcommunication station comprises selective retransmission of thereceive-data, and wherein the other-than-power control command, theindications of which said power control command puncturer is adapted toreceive, comprise indications of whether the receive-data issuccessfully received.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein theother-than-power-control command with which said power control commandpuncturer functions the power control commands comprise ACK(acknowledgement) indications to acknowledge successful reception of thereceive data.
 9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein theother-than-power-control command with which said power control commandpuncturer punctures the power control command comprise NAK (negativeacknowledge) indications to acknowledge unsuccessful reception of thereceive data.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the data iscommunicated at a selected data rate, and wherein the other-than-powercontrol command indications of which said power control commandpuncturer is adapted to receive, comprise rate control commands, valuesof which are determination of selection of the selected data rate atwhich the data is communicated.
 11. In the radio communication system ofclaim 1, a further improvement of apparatus for the at least the secondcommunication station, said apparatus comprising: an operationalselection requester for requesting the selected operation of the secondcommunication station.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the data inselectably communicated by the second communication station at aselected data rate, wherein the selected operation of the secondcommunication station comprises communicating the data at the selecteddata rate, and wherein requests generated by said operational selectionrequester request permission to communicate the data at the selecteddata rate.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the requests generatedby said operational selection requester comprise a selected one of arate increase request and a rate decrease request.
 14. The apparatus ofclaim 12 wherein the selected data rate at which said operationalselection requester requests permission to communicate is dependent, atleast in part, upon an amount of data that is to be communicated by thesecond communication station.
 15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein theselected data rate at which said operational selection requesterrequests permission to communicate is dependent, at least in part, upona power-capacity indicia associated with the second communicationstation.
 16. In a method of communicating in a radio communicationsystem having a first communication station operable at least to sendpower control commands upon at least a power control channel to at leasta second communication station, the power control commands used at thesecond communication station to control an operational parameterassociated with a power level at which data subsequently to becommunicated therefrom is sent, an improvement of a method forfacilitating control of selected operation of the second communicationstation, said method compising: obtaining indications of another-than-power-control command associated with the selected operation;and puncturing the power control commands sent upon the at least thepower control channel with the other-than-power-control command.
 17. Themethod of claim 16 wherein the selected operation with which theother-than-power-control command is associated comprises a data rate atwhich the data is permitted to be communicated, wherein theother-than-data-power-control command comprises a data rate selectioncommand, and wherein the indications obtained during said operations ofobtaining comprises obtaining indications of the data rate selectioncommand.
 18. The method of claim 17 wherein the power control commandsare punctured during said operation of puncturing with data rateselection commands.
 19. The method of claim 17 further comprising theoperation, prior to said operations of obtaining, of sending, from thesecond communication station to the first communication station, a datarate request requesting permission to send the data at the selected datarate.
 20. The method of claim 16 wherein the radio communication uplinkutilizes an HARQ (Hybrid-ARQ) feedback scheme to acknowledge whetherreceive-data is successfully delivered to the first communicationstation, wherein the selected operation comprises selectiveretransmission of the receive data, and wherein theother-than-power-control command, the indications of which are obtainedduring said operation of obtaining comprise indications of whether thereceive-data is successfully received.